Archived News from February 2016
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STAGS DOMINATE AND WIN AGAIN WITH BEARDSLEY GOAL
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Crawley Town 0 - 1 Mansfield Town Beardsley 60 Attendance: 1981 (164 from Mansfield) Date: 30 January 2016 Martin Shaw at the Checkatrade.com Stadium, Broadfield Stadium Mansfield Town made it two away wins in 4 days with a well-deserved 1-0 win at Crawley this afternoon. The Stags were the better side for almost of all of the game, creating chances going forward, and looking rock solid at the back. Chris Beardsley scored the only goal of the game with a header from a clever corner by the returning Mal Benning. Crawley had won 7 out of their last 9 home games (while losing 5 consecutive away games), and should have been buoyed by morning news of being on the verge of a long-awaited takeover. And while Mansfield had had a tough game on a heavy pitch in midweek, Crawley had had no midweek game. But instead it was the Stags who took it to Crawley with a very strong first half performance, dominating completely, but unable to take three great chances as Matt Green missed two one-on-ones, one thwarted by a superb save, and Matty Blair had a great effort well-saved. Benning looked like he had not been away, despite being out with injury for 3.5 months. Mansfield finally got the goal that the domination deserved, from their 9th corner, on 60 minutes. Benning had been lifting high balls into the box from previous corners, but the three big defenders hadn’t been having much joy getting on the end of the them, so he signalled that he was going to whip in a faster lower one. Beardsley read it, with a run from the penalty spot, and headed home at the near post. It was a great moment for Beardsley who has missed most the season with a frustrating injury. Baxendale nearly increased the lead on 73 minutes with a brilliant curling shot which the keeper did well to tip over. It was inevitable that Crawley would finally have a period of pressure in the game, which they then did putting a lot of balls into the Stags box in the closing 15 minutes. The Stags defence stood up to it superbly, in contrast to the last game in the South-East at AFC Wimbledon two weeks ago when we were bullied out of it. Matt Green made things harder for his team-mates, picking up a silly second yellow card trying to stop a throw-in with his hand, giving the referee no choice but to send him off, on the stroke of 90 minutes. But the rest of the team stood firm, and with almost the last kick of the game, Blair should have made it 2-0 as he ran through for another one-on-one with no defender anywhere near him, but allowed the keeper to make the save. It didn’t matter and the Stags fans were able to celebrate the 8th away win of the season. Only Plymouth, with 9 wins, have won more away games. A really strong away performance, with all four defenders rock solid. Particularly pleasing to see Benning do so well on his return. McGuire, sitting in front of the back four, was immense. Blair, Clements and Baxendale played well and all put in a defensive shift too. Scott Shearer also made a good save when he needed to. Not surprisingly Crawley’s man of the match was their goalkeeper Callum Preston, who kept the score down. The Stags are back in to the top 7, where we have spent precisely half of the season, (though we have now played more games than some of the other teams around us). Time to get a win at home now next week, which we can do with everyone’s full backing. The team deserve a rousing reception at home after these two hard-earned away victories. Come on Mansfield! Nicky Hunt didn’t travel with the squad, and will sign for Leyton Orient in the next 24 hours if Hunt can agree personal terms and pass a medical. Hunt of course played with Orient’s new manager Kevin Nolan at Bolton for a number of years. Murray said the deal is a very good one for Mansfield but he also didn’t want to stand in Hunt’s way as he looks at the next stage in his career. If the deal goes through, Murray has a replacement lined up, which will be announced in the next 48 hours. The return of Mal Benning for Hunt (with Collins switching from left back to right back) was the only change to the side that started at Morecambe. Great news to have Benning back after his stellar form just before he got injured. The formation of 4-1-3-2 remained unchanged, with McGuire sitting in front of the back four. Scott Shearer in goal was returning to his former club. Collins was the new captain, replacing Hunt. Rose replaced Lambe on the bench. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ------------------------ Saturday, 30th January 2016: Crawley Town 0, Mansfield Town 1 chad.co.uk report by Agency CHRIS Beardsley’s first Mansfield goal for more than nine years helped the Stags into the League Two play-off places as they squeezed past Crawley Town. After a dramatic finish saw them score two quick-fire late goals to overcome Morecambe in midweek, Mansfield arrived at Broadfield Stadium buoyed and in search of back-to-back wins. Read more: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/saturday-30th-january-2016-crawley-town-0-mansfield-town-1-1-7706194#ixzz3ylNTSk8F And that is exactly what they got as Beardsley’s header on the hour was enough for the Stags to secure all three points, despite Matt Green picking up a second yellow card right at the death. The header was Beardsley’s first Mansfield goal since returning to the club this summer, the 31-year-old last netting for the Stags in a 3-0 Football League Trophy victory over Grimsby on October 31 2016. In the reverse fixture Mansfield thumped Crawley Town 4-0 and the Stags started just as well this time around as Green had the first real chance of the game only to see his effort when one-on-one with goalkeeper Callum Preston superbly tipped wide. Gwion Edwards tested Scott Shearer five minutes later, but the former Reds goalkeeper was equal to his attempt before Green was guilty of missing the target again when he scuffed wide with just Preston to beat. Matty Blair was next to try his luck but Preston denied him after a direct run from the Stags winger as Adam Murray’s side looked to take advantage of their first half dominance. After the break, Mansfield went close again when Preston was forced to flick over Lee Collins’ header. But from the resulting corner the Stags did take the lead as Beardsley got his head on the end of a whipped Mal Benning in-swinging corner. With 15 minutes left, Preston again was brought into action when he was forced to tip an audacious attempt from James Baxendale over the bar. Crawley captain Sonny Bradley had the hosts’ best chance of the game with only six minutes remaining but powered a header from Simon Walton’s corner narrowly over Shearer’s bar. It wasn’t Green’s day, as, after being booked midway through the second half, the Stags man stopped Bradley taking a quick throw in the final minutes of the game and picked up a second yellow. Shearer denied Chris Atkinson before Blair broke but was once again denied by the impressive Preston as Mansfield clung on to earn the points. CRAWLEY: (4-4-2): Preston 9, Young 6 (Fenelon 72 6), Yorwerth 6, Bradley 6, G Smith 5, Bawling 6, Walton 6, Jenkins 6 (Atkinson 72 5), Edwards 7, Barnard 6 (Deacon 64 6), Harrold 6. Subs not used: Little, Rooney, Ashton, Tomlin STAGS: (4-4-2): Shearer 6, Collins 7, Pearce 6, Tafazoli 6, Benning 8 (Kavanagh 85 6), McGuire 7, Clements 7, Baxendale 7 (Rose 81 6), Blair 7, Green 6, Beardsley 7 (Thomas 76 6). Subs not used: Jensen, Chapman, Westcarr, Yussuf. REFEREE: Graham Horwood of Luton. ATTENDANCE: 1,981 (164 away). ----------------- Report: Reds 0 Mansfield 1 by Bruce Talbot, crawleytownfc.com Preston heroics in vain as Beardsley wins it for the Stags The excitement at the prospect of a bright future for Reds under new owners wasn’t reflected on the pitch as Mark Yates’ side suffered a third successive League 2 defeat. Hours after the club confirmed that successful takeover talks were nearly complete a goal from Chris Beardsley on the hour gave the Stags a 1-0 win. Read more at http://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/article/crawley-town-mansfield-town-2928317.aspx#OMA6KZjkRJWAbCZV.99 It was, on reflection, a deserved success for the visitors with man of the match Callum Preston pulling off four excellent saves, three of them in a seven-minute spell in the first half. Matt Green was sent off for the visitors with a minute of normal time to go and Reds bombarded Scott Shearer’s goal in stoppage time with the Stags’ keeper denying Chris Atkinson with a superb save in fourth added minute. But otherwise the former Reds’ stopper had a quiet return to Crawley. There was, as usual, no lack of effort or endeavour from Yates’s team but they lacked the quality to break down a well organised Mansfield side for concerted spells of the match despite winning nine of the game’s 22 corners. Both sets of fans impeccably observed the pre-match minute’s silence in memory of President Les Turnbull and it was Mansfield who settled quickest. They nearly punished poor defending by Lewis Young in the 25th minute. The defender headed the ball straight into Green’s path and the former Birmingham striker was through on goal, but Preston stood tall and deflected his shot wide for a corner. Shearer made a routine save from Gwion Edwards’ drive before Preston came to the rescue again on the half-hour after a long-range pass fell perfectly into Green’s path but he was again denied by the Crawley keeper. Preston made another save on 32 minutes, parrying James Baxendale’s shot after he’d cut in from the right. The ball conveniently rebounded off Green’s leg into Preston’s grateful clutches. Mansfield would have been cursing their luck at the break but after Reds had made a promising start to the second half it was the Stags who went in front on the hour when Beardsley met Benning’s inswinging corner with a flick header that flew inside the near post. Preston made another save at full stretch to deny Baxendale on 72 minutes, by which time Yates had brought on Shamir Fenelon, Roarie Deacon and Chris Atkinson in a bid to find an equaliser. But it was only in the last ten minutes when they finally built some momentum. Shearer got across goal to tip Edwards’ effort round the post then Sonny Bradley met Simon Walton’s corner but headed onto the top of the net. Deacon’s goalbound drive was deflected wide and Mansfield didn’t make it any easier for themselves when Green, booked for an earlier foul on Bradley, got a second yellow and his marching orders for throwing the ball into the crowd after Reds had been awarded a throw-in. Shearer made a great save to deny Atkinson as Crawley launched one final sortie but the visitors held on to complete the double over Reds and were only denied a second with virtually the last kick when substitute Mitchell Rose, through on goal, was thwarted by the impressive Preston. ------------------ Crawley Town slump continues at home to Mansfield Town by Steve Hollis, theargus.co.uk Crawley Town’s slump in form continued as they suffered a fifth defeat in their last six games at home to Mansfield Town. http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/crawleynews/14242394.Crawley_slump_continues_at_home_to_Mansfield/? Reds were second best throughout a low quality contest which was settled by Chris Beardsley’s header 15 minutes into the second half. The Stags should have won more comfortably but a number of fine saves from goalkeeper Callum Preston kept Crawley in the game. Mansfield were reduced to ten men in the 90th minute when Matt Green received a second booking for time wasting but Reds were unable to capitalise. The result saw Mark Yates’s side drop a place to 17th in League Two while Mansfield are up to seventh. Crawley were hardly able to get out of their own half during the opening 45 minutes as Mansfield took total control. Reds only went in on level terms thanks to a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping from Callum Preston. Matt Green looked certain to score when he raced clear following a mistake by Lewis Young but Preston deflected his shot wide with his legs. Green had an even better opportunity on the half hour when Josh Yorwerth misjudged a long ball but this time scuffed his effort wide under pressure from Young. Preston was forced into action again when Matty Blair was allowed to cut inside the area from the left far too easily by Young with the rookie keeper diving full length to keep out his curling effort. The goal the visitors deserved arrived 15 minutes into the second half. Preston tipped over a free header from Beardsley from a corner but Reds did not head the warning as Beardsley got ahead of his marker to glance a header home from another Mal Benning delivery. Mansfield were denied a second goal with 17 minutes to go when Preston superbly tipped over James Baxendale’s 20 yard curling effort at full stretch. Crawley’s only real chance of the entire game came with five minutes to go when Sonny Bradley headed over from Simon Walton’s corner. Green saw red right on 90 minutes for preventing Walton taking a throw-in quickly but it was the Stags who should scored a second in injury time when Blair broke clear only to be denied by the excellent Preston again. ---------------- Six things we learned from Crawley Town's defeat to Mansfield Crawley News CRAWLEY Town lost 1-0 to Mansfield on Saturday. Here's six observations from the League Two game... Read more: http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/things-learned-Crawley-Town-defeat-Mansfield/story-28637721-detail/story.html#ixzz3ylr7rMLA 1 - RIGHT-BACK - Crawley Town need a new right-back or Lanre Oyebanjo to be fit NOW. The last couple of games have not been Lewis Young's best right-back performances while Bobson Bawling showed enthusiasm and energy but… he's not a right-back. 2 - TAKEOVER - The potential takeover at Crawley Town might be good in the long run but it has given manager Mark Yates a headache this transfer window, thwarting his attempts to bring players in. Yates admitted in his post-match interview that he hadn't met the group interested in buying the club yet, but was keen to discuss the future with them as soon as possible. 3 - GOALKEEPER - Mansfield's Matt Green should have scored a brace within the first half an hour but after getting the better of Young one way or another, he was thwarted both times by Callum Preston. Preston also pulled off a one-on-one save at the death from Matt Blair. A heroic performance that rightly won the 20-year-old the man of the match fizzy alcoholic stuff. 4 - FASHION FAUX PAS - Unusually, Mansfield Town don't have a shirt sponsor on their away kit. Maybe no brand wanted to put their name to the dodgy blue and brown stripes? 5 - LONG BALL - Crawley Town are not a long ball team. In the first half they were relying on punts forward and most came straight back very quickly, putting the defence under yet more pressure. 6 - ON THE ATTACK - Mansfield need to work on their finishing and Crawley need to work on their attacking in general. The Reds defended well, with Preston, as mentioned, particularly impressive but they could probably still be out there now and not have scored. ----------------- |
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